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B28
body & soul
Guardian www.guardian.co.tt Thursday, February 26, 2015
Smoking, growing and owning small amounts
of marijuana became legal in Alaska on Tuesday
as a growing decriminalisation movement
reached the United States northwest frontier.
Alaska, which narrowly passed the measure in
November, followed Colorado and Washington
among states allowing recreational use, reflecting
a rapidly shifting legal landscape for the drug.
It remains illegal, however, under federal law.
In the District of Columbia, Mayor Muriel Bowser
said on Tuesday the U.S. capital would go ahead
with legalised possession of small amounts of
marijuana and pot plants despite opposition from
Congress. Voters overwhelmingly approved legal-
ising pot last year, but its sale is still banned.
Oregon voters approved a similar measure in
November, but the drug does not become legal
until July. In Maryland, the state legislature began
hearings on Tuesday on a measure to legalise mar-
ijuana.
In Alaska, anyone aged 21 or older can possess
up to an ounce (28.3 grams) of marijuana and can
grow up to six plants, three of which can be flow-
ering.
Smoking in public and buying and selling the
drug remains illegal, but private exchanges are
allowed if money is not involved.
President Barack Obama s Department of Justice
has allowed the experiments to proceed, saying
it would look to prosecute a narrower range of
marijuana-related crimes, such as sales to chil-
dren.
But that could change if a more conservative
president is elected in 2016, when Alaska s first
marijuana shops are likely to open.
Supporters of the measure say it reflects a sense
of personal freedom that resonates with residents
of Alaska, a state with a libertarian streak. They
also say legal sales will generate income and jobs.
"Alaska now has some of the most sensible
marijuana laws in the nation," Dr Tim Hinterberger,
chairman of the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana
Like Alcohol, said in a statement.
The state s alcohol regulatory board, which is
set to meet on Tuesday, and other officials must
still fill gaps in the legislation, such as a definition
of the public places where people cannot light
up.State regulators are drafting rules covering the
taxation and sale of marijuana and which must
be adopted by November 24. Applications for the
first business licenses will not be accepted until
February 2016.
Police have released regular updates on how
they will enforce the law. (Reuters)
(Additional reporting by Ian Simpson in Wash-
ington; Editing by Curtis Skinner, G Crosse, and
Lisa Von Ahn)
YOUR DAILY HEALTH
News and advice
Recreational marijuana
now legalised in Alaska
A participant
practices rolling a
joint at the
Cannabis
Carnivalus 4/20
event in Seattle,
Washington April
20, 2014.
REUTERS: PHOTO
In Alaska, anyone aged 21 or older can
possess up to an ounce (28.3 grams) of
marijuana and can grow up to six plants,
three of which can be flowering. Smoking
in public and buying and selling the drug
remains illegal, but private exchanges are
allowed if money is not involved.
Supporters of the measure say it reflects a
sense of personal freedom that resonates
with residents of Alaska, a state with a
libertarian streak. They also say legal sales
will generate income and jobs.